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I have several: Austin, TX, Portland, OR, Oklahoma City, OK, Little Rock, AR, Flagstaff, AZ. I had high hopes for those cities, but left them all with a sour taste in my mouth. Id like to try them again, but itll be hard to convince myself to actually use vacation time to give them another chance.
I feel similar about those cities. And also about vacation time... I'd rather just check out an area in NYC or Chicago for instance as I know I can always find new areas to explore. Going to the beach/mountains/nature are easier calls as I can generally have a good time there in many many more places, but find myself only liking a few cities.
I should give it another chance. The only time I went, I was out to CA to visit family, and first went to San Francisco, which I just fell in love with, and have been back to a few times. L.A. on the other hand struck me as incredibly weird - the contrast between ostentatious wealth and some really, really rough areas, without much of any middle class in between to soak up the tension was kinda icky to me (and that's even after seeing San Fran's severe class divides). I didn't like the landscape much either.
I have a few college friends who moved out there and love it and have almost sold me on giving it another chance.
Other than that, I can't think of another big American city, of the ones I've visited that I strongly disliked.
Before I first visited Chicago, I figured it must have a lot going for it, being the third-largest city in America. I heard the El trains were so great that you don't need a car. i also assumed the people of Chicago would show a lot of that typical Midwestern friendliness.
So a friend and I went to Chi-town by Amtrak for a visit. Coming into the city, we were met by miles of ugly graffiti. We took the El north toward Wrigley Field. We were accustomed to the smooth, quiet Metro rail system back home, and the El was neither smooth nor quiet. We exited the train and explored a neighborhood. Motorists were honking at each other almost constantly. Some guys standing in front of a residential building shouted verbal insults at us, apparently for being outsiders in "their neighborhood". A hand-made sign attrached to a utility pole asked for justice in a recent street killing. We found a hotel, priced rediculously high, considering the quality and location. Later, we went to a recommended popular local bar, hoping for some good conversation with the locals. Most every person there was standing huddled in small social groups, oblivious to the rest of the world. Tried to have some small talk with various people, and each one would look at us like we were from mars. In fact, one fellow who was watching a game of pool looked puzzled and said "do you know me?" I responded no, and he just turned away. Anywhere we went during our stay, we were met with the same cold, unfriendly attitude.
^^^ I moved from Chicago in the 70s..moved back in early 90s and now am gone for good. Chicago is about pretending they are something they ain't...friendly? Comfortable? Na. When you remove yourself for a while, you trade off going to local theatres and museums for...the same thing! Just in a more bland looking, sprawled out,but definately easier to navigate place, with ACTUAL friendly people. Chicago...for all its commercial growing over the years...doesn't feel walkable, is very segregated and swathed with multiple large ghettos, is too congested, too impersonal, and it is financially draining due to city regulations and tax. It attracts the depraved, and there are books written about it. Genuine people of substance are few and far between. Too cold, toooo busy, and most people by far still need a car. Attitudes. Are very clannish and aggressive. Chicago tough we called it. Just code for being a jerkwad. People have been filtering to the farthest suburbs for decades.
Last edited by dosequis man; 10-01-2011 at 06:36 AM..
New York City. I can't really point at why I didn't like it, but I had put my expectations up very high and when I visited, I was somewhat disappointed. I found it to be dirty, way too crowded and not even the skyscrapers looked very impressive. Probably that is because there are so many of them so none really sticks out. Times Square was a giant tourist trap as well.
I love Southern cities, but I do not like Atlanta at all. If you took every generic suburb in America and mashed it together into one big sprawling mess, you'd have Atlanta.
I also do not care for San Francisco at all. Ridiculously overpriced and just exudes a gross yuppie/hippie vibe. I feel the same way about New York, and there you can add horrendous traffic and overwhelmingly rude people.
I was not impressed by Portland.
Other than that, I've liked most places I've been.
I recall going to Chicago with some IL natives and as we were driving in, I started to see buildings and was waiting for it...it never came. I was like "that's it?" Walking around etc it didn't even hold a candle to Mid-town for me.
I took one of the said people to NYC a short time later and from the top of the Empire State the reaction was in comparison.
"The crime and poverty in NYC isn't bad, but it's just not cold enough. Lets go West"
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Raleigh, NC. I'm drawn to visit there often to see my sister, nieces, and nephews. I made an effort with an open mind to like it, would be nice to be closer to them. I just can't get into it though. It's too vanilla for me. A very nice city yes, just doesn't hold a lot of interest for me though.
I thought I would like Tampa, FL but overall I really wasn't impressed at all with the whole Tampa Bay area. Same with Salt Lake City, I had better expectations, other than its stunning setting as a city a big letdown.
Some others.....Tacoma, Hartford, Eugene, Manchester...Meh, I'll pass.
Before I first visited Chicago, I figured it must have a lot going for it, being the third-largest city in America. I heard the El trains were so great that you don't need a car. i also assumed the people of Chicago would show a lot of that typical Midwestern friendliness.
So a friend and I went to Chi-town by Amtrak for a visit. Coming into the city, we were met by miles of ugly graffiti. We took the El north toward Wrigley Field. We were accustomed to the smooth, quiet Metro rail system back home, and the El was neither smooth nor quiet. We exited the train and explored a neighborhood. Motorists were honking at each other almost constantly. Some guys standing in front of a residential building shouted verbal insults at us, apparently for being outsiders in "their neighborhood". A hand-made sign attrached to a utility pole asked for justice in a recent street killing. We found a hotel, priced rediculously high, considering the quality and location. Later, we went to a recommended popular local bar, hoping for some good conversation with the locals. Most every person there was standing huddled in small social groups, oblivious to the rest of the world. Tried to have some small talk with various people, and each one would look at us like we were from mars. In fact, one fellow who was watching a game of pool looked puzzled and said "do you know me?" I responded no, and he just turned away. Anywhere we went during our stay, we were met with the same cold, unfriendly attitude.
St. Louis Metro isn't 100 years old. You'd probably be loud and creaky if you were 100+ years old.
Also, transit workers in St. Louis were the rudest I have ever encountered.
I haven't visited a lot of cities, but most of the ones I have met or exceeded my expectations. Chicago, New York City, Seattle, being the ones that first come to mind. I've been to Denver for a wedding, but really only stayed in a suburb, so that kind of sucked. But I knew that was just a small part of the city, and could have been just about anywhere in the country. I've never been very fond of Memphis, but I don't hate it and I didn't go there expecting to love it. I've been to Atlanta, but it was many years ago so I don't remember much about it. Been to D.C. and was impressed, though again it's been years so I can't remember a lot, plus it was on the same trip as NYC, which kind of overshadowed it. I've seen parts of Louisville which I really liked, but I didn't get to spend much time there. Drove through Indianapolis and wasn't too impressed from the interstate, but I don't consider that a fair judgement. Drove through Spokane, and just judging from my interstate impression it looked like a decent place to be, but that's all I saw. I'd say the only place I've visited and was really let down by was Orlando, Florida. Did the typical tourist stuff (I was with a large group) and was just utterly underwhelmed. It didn't help that it was late September and in the low 90s. It's just a place I can't see myself ever visiting again.
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I found it to be dirty, way too crowded and not even the skyscrapers looked very impressive. Probably that is because there are so many of them so none really sticks out. Times Square was a giant tourist trap as well.
in comparison.
